Filling device for pocket pyrophoric lighters



A. RACEK 9 FILLING DEVICE FOR POCKET PYROPHORIC LIGHTERS Oct. 29, 1940.

Filed JuIy 20, less IYLUenb or Alfred Ramak- Patented Oct. 29, 1940 ERS Alfred Bacek, Vienna, Germany, assignor to the firm fisterr. Knopfund Metallwarenfabrlk J. Meister & 00., Vienna, Germany (formerly Austria), a company of Austria Application July 20, 1938, Serial No. 220,242

In Austria July 22, 1937 6 Claims. (char-1.1)

' This invention relates to a fuel filling device for use in connection with'pyrophoric lighters,

of the type in whicl'i'the fuel is poured into a fill- I ing aperture disposed concentrically to the wick. A known arrangement of this type has the wick extending directly out of the fuel tank which is open at the top, while another arrangement has, as wick holder, 2. filling funnel, e. g. in the form of a cup-like insert, which embraces the wick tube and holds it in a fixed position, and

which extends into the interior of the tank,

having slotted outlet apertures in the bottom but provided in its envelope portion with an aperture which allows air to escape. The drawback of the known arrangements resides in the fact that the wick cap, which only fits inaccurately, is solely responsible for sealing or closing the fuel tank or the fillingfunnel thereon, with the result that the tank leaks, e. g. when the lighter is reposing in the user's pocket. A further filling arrangement has been proposed, according to which the wick tube, which is longitudinally slidable in the fuel tank, is connected by means of lugs to a plug seated in the filling aperture and controlled by the lid of the lighter, for the purpose of enabling the lugs to be lifted in the vicinity of the filling aperture for the purpose of replenishing the fuel supply, while the wick tube, and with it the end of the wick itself, can be fed through the filling aperture for the purpose of using the lighter. Apart from the complicated construction of this filling arrangement it likewise only aifords an inadequately perfect sealing of the fuel tank.

The present invention provides a fuel fillin device in which the above-mentioned drawbacks are obviated; the essence of the invention con-'- sisting in the fact ;that the fuel tank, which is open at the top, is scalable by means of a cap having therein the filling aperture, which cal is so vertically adjustable relatively to the fuel tank and to the wick holder, that the filling-ap- 'erture can be closed or disclosed by the wick J I necessary to thread the end of the wick through holder.

tion is shown 'by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1- shows, in side elevation. a lighter equipped with the device according to the in. vention'.

,l 'lg. 2 is a longitudinal section of the. fuel tank 'in the closed condition.

'l 'lgri show's the same during the operation goi'replenlshingthefuelsupply.

A form of construction embodying the inven partly cut away.

, Figures 4 and 4* show the wick holder in two different side elevations, and

Fig. 5 shows a modification of the wick holder inserted in the fuel tank, with the fuel tank In the fuel filling device accordingto the invention the e. g. tubular fuel tank 1;, which may for instance be adapted to be slid into fitting engagement with the casing a of the lighter, is open at the top and so adapted to be sealed by means of. a tank cap d furnished with the filling aperture, that the cap d can be fixed at different levels relatively to the fuel tank b. For this purpose .the cap d extends with its cylindrical envelope e fairly deep down into the fuel tank b against the inner'wall of which the envelope e of the cap slides with tight fit. A ribbed or milled annular beading provided on the upper part of the envelope e of the cap serves as a gripe ping element and also; at the same time as a stop to limit the downward closing movementof the cap d. Loosely inserted in the fuel tank'b is, further, a-wick holder 9, g in the form of a clamping hoop which holds between itslimbs g extending preferably to the bottom of the fuel tank b, the absorbent filling material h, e. g. wadding, and the wick i, while the cap-shaped web 0' extending out of the'fuel tank at the top has a gap it through which the end of the, wick is passed. The length: of the clamp-like wick holder 51 is adjusted to suit the length of the fuel tank b and of the cap d in such a manner that the edge of the filling aperture 0 fits-tightly upon the web a of the wick holder g, g as soon as the annular bedding 1 on the cap d bears against the rim of the fuel tank b. To obtain a tighter joint the filling aperture 0 may also beprovided with a short tubular extension directed towards the wick holder g, g, which extension comes in contact with the web a when the cap d is in the position of. closure. I

The mode of operation is as follows:

To furnish the fuel tank b with the absorbent filling material It and the wick i' it is merely the gap 1: in the wick holder '9 while this; holder is removed from the fuel tank, and to fillupthe; space between the limbs of the wick carrier 9, a

' with the filling material) while at the same 'gether with the wick i and procedure .1a enalogouswhon l tobe II changed because it has become old and dirty or the wick because it has become for the greater part burnt away, for which purpose the clawlike limbs g of the wick holder 9, g facilitate the complete removal of the old filling material from the fuel tank.

For the purpose of replenishing the fuel supply using the filling aperture 0, the cap (1 is withdrawn from the fuel tank b to such an extent that between the cap d and the web a of the wick holder 9, 9' there is formed (Fig. 3) a gap of sufiicient size to allow the fuel trickling down from the-web y to find its way to the filling material, particularly through the gaps formed between the side edges of the holder limbs and the wall of the fuel tank. After the fuel tank has been filled the cap d is fitted and pushed right down home, with the result that the filling aperture 0, and therefore also the fuel tank b,

is gastightly closed, and there is no danger of fuel vapour or liquid fuel escaping from the lighter while in use.

In order to ensure that the gap between the filling h and the fuel tank b necessary for the displacement of the envelope e of the can be kept free, and to prevent pinching off of any of the filling between the wall of the fuel tank b and the limbs g of the wick holder 17, y, the wick holder, in the form of construction shown in Fig. '5, is provided, for a distance from the top corresponding to the length of the envelope e of the cap, with projecting wings on either side which close together to form a longitudinally slotted ring. These wings are denoted by m in Fig. 5.

The cap :1 may also be made to screw on instead of sliding in. The tightness of the joint may, finally, be increased by means of an elastic gasket ring placed upon the web 9 of the wick holder 9, 0".

40 I claim:

1. In pyrophoric lighters a fuel filling unit comprising a fuel tank, a wick and a wick holder in said tank, a cap to be inserted upon the open top-end of said tank, said cap having a depending extension, a filling aperture in said cap in alignment with and concentric to said wick, said cap being adjustable in relation to said fuel tank whereby a closeable filling space is created between said cap and said wick holder.

2. In pyrophoric lighters a fuel filling unit according to claim 1 characterized therein that said wick holder is provided with an outer sealing face adapted to seal said filling aperture in the closed position of the cap.

3. In pyrophoric lighters a fuel filling unit comprising a fuel tank, a wick and a wick holder in said tank, a cap to be inserted upon the open top-end of said tank, said wick holder having the shape of a spring-clip with shanks and a connecting upper web portion said shanks being adapted to hold the fuel absorbent material and a gap in said web portion to expose the end of said wick, said web portion forming a cap sealing face.

4. Inpyrophoric lighters a fuel filling unit as claimed in claim 3 characterized therein that the web portion of said wick holder is arc or dome shaped.

5. In pyrophoric lighters a fuel filling unit as claimed in claim 3 characterized therein that the shanks of said wick holder extend on a fraction of their lengths into annular wingsythe length of said wings corresponding to the length of said cap-extension.

6. In a p'yrophoric lighter a fuel filling unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein a short tube is provided extending from the upper part of said wick holder into the filling aperture of said cap.

Anrmn) RACEK. 

